A method of driving an AC plasma display panel for carrying out gray-scale display using a structure in which each field consists of a plurality of subfields, each of which includes an initialization period, a write period, and a sustain period. At least in one predetermined subfield out of the plurality of subfields, at least a part of a sustain operation in the sustain period and at least a part of an initialization operation in the initialization period in a subsequent subfield are carried out at the same time. The visibility of black is improved considerably and the contrast can be enhanced greatly.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of driving an AC plasma display panel having a substrate on which scanning electrodes and sustain electrodes are formed and another substrate on which data electrodes are formed, the two substrates being arranged opposing each other so as to form a plurality of discharge cells, the method comprising driving the discharge cells in accordance with a field that includes a plurality of subfields, whereby a gray-scale display is carried out, wherein each of the subfields comprises an initialization period, a write period and a sustain period; in the initialization period, an initialization operation is carried out so that a voltage for causing initialization discharge is applied to the scanning electrodes and the sustain electrodes; in the write period, a write operation is carried out so that a voltage for causing write discharge is applied, after the initialization period, to the data electrodes; in the sustain period, a sustain operation is carried out so that a voltage for causing sustain discharge is applied, after the write period, to the scanning electrodes and the sustain electrodes; and at least in one predetermined subfield out of the plurality of subfields, the initialization operation is carried out simultaneously with the last part of the sustain operation in the preceding subfield so that the initialization discharge is caused only in the discharge cells that have been operated to emit light in the preceding subfield.
2. The method of driving an AC plasma display panel according to claim 1, wherein the initialization operation comprises a first initialization operation to be carried out at the same time with the last part of the sustain operation, and a second initialization operation to be carried out after the conclusion of the sustain discharge in the sustain period so that the second initialization operation functions as an erase operation for terminating a sustain discharge as well.
3. The method of driving an AC plasma display panel according to claim 1, wherein in the initialization period of a subfield subsequent to another subfield having the initialization period, the write period, and the sustain period, a voltage that is beyond a discharge starting voltage is applied between the data electrodes and the scanning electrodes simultaneously with the sustaining operation of the preceding subfield.
4. A method of driving an AC plasma display panel having a substrate on which scanning electrodes and sustain electrodes are formed and another substrate on which data electrodes are formed, the two substrates being arranged opposing each other so as to form a plurality of discharge cells, the method comprising driving the discharge cells in accordance with a field that includes a plurality of subfields, whereby a gray-scale display is carried out, wherein each of the subfields comprises an initialization period, a write period and a sustain period; in the initialization period, an initialization operation is carried out so that a voltage for causing initialization discharge is applied to the scanning electrodes and the sustain electrodes; in the write period, a write operation is carried out so that a voltage for causing write discharge is applied, after the initialization period, to the data electrodes; in the sustain period, a sustain operation is carried out so that a voltage for causing sustain discharge is applied, after the write period, to the scanning electrodes and the sustain electrodes; at least in one predetermined subfield out of the plurality of subfields, the initialization operation is carried out simultaneously with the last part of the sustain operation in the preceding subfield so that the initialization discharge is caused only in the discharge cells that have been operated to emit light in the preceding subfield; and in the initialization period, a positive voltage is applied to the sustain electrodes and a lamp voltage is applied to the scanning electrodes, the lamp voltage varying in such a manner that the voltage of the scanning electrodes with respect to the sustain electrodes varies from a voltage below the discharge starting voltage toward a voltage beyond the discharge starting voltage.
5. A method of driving an AC plasma display panel having a substrate on which scanning electrodes and sustain electrodes are formed and another substrate on which data electrodes are formed, the two substrates being arranged opposing each other so as to form a plurality of discharge cells, the method comprising driving the discharge cells in accordance with a field that cell includes a plurality of subfields, whereby a gray-scale display is carried out, wherein each of the subfields comprises an initialization period, a write period and a sustain period; in the initialization period, an initialization operation is carried out so that a voltage for causing initialization discharge is applied to the scanning electrodes and the sustain electrodes; in the write period, a write operation is carried out so that a voltage for causing write discharge is applied, after the initialization period, to the data electrodes; in the sustain period, a sustain operation is carried out so that a voltage for causing sustain discharge is applied, after the write period, to the scanning electrodes and the sustain electrodes; and at least in one predetermined subfield out of the plurality of subfields, the initialization operation is carried out simultaneously with the sustain operation in the preceding subfield so that the initialization discharge is caused only in the discharge cells that have been operated to emit light in the preceding subfield.
6. The method of driving an AC plasma display panel according to claim 5, wherein in the sustain period of at least one predetermined subfield out of the plurality of subfields, a width of a last sustain pulse applied to the scanning electrodes or the sustain electrodes is set to be shorter than widths of the other sustain pulses, whereby an erase operation for terminating a sustain discharge is carried out simultaneously with the last sustain operation.
7. The method of driving an AC plasma display panel according to claim 5, wherein in the sustain period of the preceding subfield, a value at the lowest level of a sustain pulse voltage applied to the scanning electrodes and the sustain electrodes is set to be higher than that at the lowest level of a scan pulse voltage applied to the scanning electrodes in the write period, whereby the initialization operation in the predetermined subfield is carried out simultaneously with the sustain operation in the preceding subfield.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
January 19, 2000
September 25, 2001
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